Samsung Upgrades the Chromebook

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Image: Samsung

By Pete Pachal2014-03-03 21:32:25 UTC

As many schools have discovered, Chromebooks have a lot of benefits — built-in cloud compatibility, good battery life, low cost — but they sometimes struggle to perform. Samsung aims to upgrade the experience with its Chromebook 2 Series laptops, which sport HD screens and souped-up chips.

The Chromebook 2 Series comes in two screen sizes: 13.3 and 11.6 inches. The big model is a full HD display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution while the smaller one is 1,366 x 768. Samsung also says the 13.3-inch screen is impressively bright, rated at 250 nits. Each model has an octa-core Samsung Exynos processor (2.1GHz for the big and 1.9GHz for the small).

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Yes, those are mobile chips, which means they're efficient: Samsung promises 8.5 and 8 hours of run time for the large and small models, respectively. However, unlike the recent HP Chromebook 11, Samsung's machines don't charge via a microUSB port, instead opting for a normal DC power connector.

These being Chromebooks, they're all about running Chrome OS and the associated apps. Samsung says they're optimized for Google+ Hangouts messaging, and each has a 720 webcam to help in that regard. Samsung also provides a "premium" package of apps said to be worth $100, including Air Droid Premium, Wunderlist Pro and LittleBridge.com.

Unlike other Chromebooks on offer, though, Samsung's don't come with any extra Google Drive storage.

Ports include USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, a microSD card slot and a headphone/mic jack. The 11-inch model comes in black and white while the 13-incher is available only in gray.

Samsung's Chromebooks may be a step up in terms of specs, but their prices are similarly elevated: The 11-inch is $319.99, and the 13-inch is $399.99 — putting them on par with entry-level Windows tablets and laptops. They'll be on sale in April.

Image: Samsung

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Topics: Apps and Software, google chrome, chromebook, laptop, Mobile, samsung, Tech

Image: Samsung